An ex-boyfriend's looming wedding. Your sister's recent breast cancer scare. The realization that you can no longer walk up more than three flights of stairs without gasping like a beached beluga. There are plenty of good reasons to get your butt--and your health--in gear. But as anyone with a broadband connection knows all too well, the amount of feel-good advice about healthy choices out there is pretty damn overwhelming. How to sort out the must-dos from the entirely optional? Go straight to the experts to learn how to get healthy.

So we rifled through our Rolodex, called more than 70 top authorities on health and wellness, and asked each of them the same question: What are the most important things a woman can do to stay healthy? After weeks of taking notes and poring over research (our eyes are still bloodshot), we're passing the information on to you: a list of the 101 smartest tips, from the tried and true to the brand spanking new. Your strategy: Pick five this week. Implement. Next week, five more. The week after that--well, you get the idea. In no time at all, you're going to love what you see, and maybe even be a little bummed you didn't have these tips sooner. Sorry about that. Next time, we'll be more on the ball.

Can you hear me now? Plug your ears before you blow out your eardrums
Rocking out at home is one thing, but Spice Girls reunion concerts, lawn mowers, or fireworks can damage your hearing permanently. Properly fitting earplugs can provide a marked reduction in the amount of sound energy you're exposed to. Try Mack's silicone earplugs ($5 for six pairs, earplugstore.com ) or have an audiologist custom-make a pair for you. Cranking up the volume to 11 on your headphones can cause damage too, so listen at a reasonable decibel level. Don't make us repeat ourselves.

One thing you don't want in your mouth - Your contact lens
Each one is like a sponge--if you put it on your tongue or even rinse it under the tap, you slather on germs that are then absorbed into the plastic. Which you then stick directly onto your eyeball.

Watch where you stick that - Don't apply mascara in the car
One of the most common eye injuries: corneal abrasions caused by mascara wands. Youch! You snooze, you win!
Studies show that power naps can help you kill stress and recharge; just don't doze for more than a half hour. After 30 minutes, your body enters the deep stages of sleep, and studies show that if you wake up right before deep sleep, you'll feel more refreshed.

Stop...drinking your calories.
Between 1995 and 2002, the number of calories Americans swigged each day more than doubled--and those from sugary quenchers like soda, fruit drinks, and alcohol quadrupled. That's a whole lot of Jamba Juice, people.

Know Thyself

Know your body composition A study published in the International Journal of Obesity found that 25 to 30 percent of young women with a normal BMI (19 to 25) still carry excessive body fat. The easiest way to check your body composition is with bioelectric impedance analysis, available in many gyms and doctors' offices.

Know your family's health history Quiz the hell out of relatives, then download everything you learn to your M.D. Need help coming up with a list of questions? The U.S. Surgeon General's Family Health Portrait (familyhistory.hhs.gov ) offers easy instructions.

Know your cancer risk The American Cancer Society's Great American Health Check (cancer.org/greatamericans ) asks a few questions about your personal and family health history and then generates a list of recommended screening tests, plus tips on how to reduce your health risks. (We were told to nix the second margarita at happy hour and cut out the Cadburys.)

Know your cholesterol levels A survey by the Society for Women's Health Research revealed that less than a third of American women know their numbers. Get your cholesterol checked every five years, starting at age 20. You're in the clear if your total number is under 200 mg/dL, with an LDL (that's the bad kind) of less than 100 mg/dL and an HDL (that's the good kind) of 50 mg/DL or more.

Know your resting heart rate The lower the number, the less your heart has to work (and that's a good thing). Take your pulse in the morning, when you're most relaxed. Measure the number of beats in 10 seconds, then multiply by six. Your number should be between 60 and 80--even lower if you're athletic.

Know your waist-to-hip ratio The best test for predicting heart attacks may be the proportion of your waist to your hips. Measure your waist at the smallest point, then measure your hips at the widest point. Divide the first number by the second number: an ideal ratio is 0.8 or lower.

Eat These Foods. Every. Single. Day.

Broccoli sprouts
Turns out broccoli sprouts contain up to 50 times the amount of cancer-fighting compounds found in mature broccoli heads.

Canola and olive oil
Stop sidling up to the bar: Replace the butter and margarine in your stir-fries with vegetable oils. The omega-3 fatty acids and unsaturated fats may help slash cholesterol levels as well as your risk for heart disease.

Low-fat milk and cheese
Your body absorbs calcium most effectively from food, not from chocolate-flavored supplement chews. Along with vitamin D, absorbing 1,500 to 2,000 milligrams of the moo mineral daily (a cup of milk has about 300 milligrams) will significantly reduce your risk of joining the osteoporosis club.

Fermented foods like sauerkraut, miso, and yogurt
Studies show they may reduce breast cancer risk, protect against yeast infections, and boost immunity.

Cinnamon
Become a spice girl: This antioxidant-rich seasoning slows down the rate at which your stomach unloads that enchilada lunch, which prevents blood sugar spikes and crashes. In fact, studies show that a half-teaspoon a day lowers blood sugar and cholesterol in people with type 2 diabetes.

OJ
A six-ounce glass of 100 percent juice (that means no added sugar) every day reduces your risk of stroke by up to 20 percent. Bonus points for gulping the kind with fiber-rich pulp.

Nuts
Popping a handful daily has been shown to lower heart disease risk by 35 percent.

Tea
Green, black, and white are all teeming with antioxidants. However, green tea is uniquely high in a chemical called EGCG, one of the most potent anticancer compounds ever found. Steep any color for at least three minutes and squeeze the bag at the end for an extra antioxidant punch.

Hot cocoa
You can improve your ticker's health with an eight-ounce cup of hot chocolate as much as you can with a glass of merlot--minus the hangover. Go healthy with 100 percent unsweetened and non-alkalized cocoa powder (like Hershey's Cocoa) and fat-free milk.

Berries
Scientists in Finland found that eating five ounces a day offers a healthy-heart triple play by reducing the risk for cardiovascular disease, improving levels of good cholesterol, and lowering blood pressure.

Don't Think Twice About…

Ditching Facebook
Scrabulous games may be fun, but they don't replace face time. In one of many studies linking social ties to better health, an Ohio State University survey found that participants who ID'd themselves as lonely had higher levels of cortisol, a stress hormone that increases the risk of heart disease. Conversely, having a strong social network improves immune function, protects heart health, and wards off depression and anxiety. You do the math. Cocktails are on us.

Crushing on Seth Rogen
The amount of mood-stabilizing endorphins released from one minute of laughing is the same as the amount released with 10 minutes of strenuous rowing. We'll take Judd Apatow over LifeCore any day.

Calling in "sick" next Friday
One in six American employees are so overloaded they can't even use their annual vacation time. Yet according to a study from the Families and Work Institute, 21 percent of people who are highly overworked experience symptoms of clinical depression.

Jumping his bones
A good romp can torch up to 200 calories (equal to running 15 minutes on a treadmill) and has been linked to everything from fewer colds to reduced PMS symptoms, and even a sharper sense of smell.

Ruining your appetite
Noshing on healthy fats (like pistachios, olives, or peanut butter) about 20 minutes before a meal helps your stomach digest food more slowly, so you'll feel full longer. Foods like these may also help your body absorb fat-soluble vitamins such as A, D, E, and K.

Sucking into skinny jeans
Wriggling them on once a month can show you exactly how your body's changing--a better indicator than stepping on the scale, since your weight can rise even if you're burning fat and increasing muscle mass.

Stop...asking your doc for an antibiotic every time you sniffle. Overusing antibiotics can lead to drug-­resistant bacteria, which the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention call one of the world's biggest health challenges. The drugs also kill your body's good bacteria (like those that protect against yeasty beasties) along with the bad.

You Totally Have Our Permission to Eat…

Lean protein
It ranks right up there with calcium and vitamin D when it comes to keeping bones strong and healthy. Your body can't store protein the way it hoards fat and carbs, so aim for two six-ounce servings every day.

Fiber
The average American eats only 14 grams a day, but women in their 20s and 30s need almost twice that much. One easy source: high-fiber cereal each morning. Look for one that has at least five grams per serving. (A third of a cup of All-Bran Bran Buds has 13!)

Iron-rich foods
Four out of five women in their childbearing years are iron deficient--which can lead to fatigue, muddy thinking, and decreased immunity. You need 18 milligrams per day. Note to vegetarians: If you get your iron from non-meat sources (which include dried beans and dark, leafy greens), you can absorb the mineral only if you eat it with vitamin C. So down a glass of OJ with your iron-fortified cereal, or have some red peppers atop your bean burrito.

Wild Alaskan salmon
Eat four ounces three times a week. Salmon is full of omega-3 fatty acids, which boost noggin power and help prevent depression and coronary artery disease. The Alaskan variety is also harvested in a way that preserves the local salmon population and contains only trace levels of mercury. (Read: It's ecofriendly and safe to eat, too.) We buy it from vitalchoice.com.

Eggs (and we're not talking just the whites).
You probably knew the whites are high in protein, but the yolks are one of the best sources of choline, a nutrient that's essential for heart and brain function. Try to crack open a half dozen each week.

Cut your food down to size
Learn how to eyeball an ounce. Studies show that Americans typically scarf portions that are up to eight times as big as they should be! No joke. You can get real-world equivalents of serving sizes (for example, your PB&J should contain about a ping pong ball-size glob of peanut butter) at win.niddk.nih.gov/publications/just_enough.htmg.

Score now, reap later - cast iron skillet
Get this: The metal seeps out of the pan and into your food, increasing its iron content many times over.

Step into better-fitting sneaks
The right shoe and fit can help correct for anatomical flaws like flat arches or overpronation and fend off overuse injuries. You'll get the best service from a store that specializes in running, such as FleetFeet (fleetfeetsports.com).

But give these a rest, will ya?

Processed and refined carbs
Eating foods with fewer than three grams of fiber and more than 10 grams of sugar per serving (look at the label) increases your risk for heart disease and diabetes.

Hot dogs, bologna, sausage…
Processed meats are fat-and-salt bombs, and they also contain nitrates, which have been linked to several types of cancer.

Artificial sweeteners
Five hundred times as sweet as sugar and zero calories? Sounds pretty good. But studies show that those of us who use them are more likely to be overweight than not. The reason: The sweet taste tricks your body into thinking it's about to get a rush of caloric energy; when it doesn't arrive, you crave even more food.

"Fortified" junk food
Don't be fooled by flashy nutritional claims on the front of a package--it's the label on the back you need to study. Never buy products that list sugar (or sucrose, fructose, etc.) among the first three ingredients, and remember that "enriched flour" is just a fancy way of saying "refined white flour." (It needs to be enriched because the refining process destroys most of the nutrients.)

Booze
Limit your alcohol intake to one drink a day; two or more can increase your risk for dementia later in life. After you've downed your daily allowance of tequila sunrises, try nipping an unsweetened iced tea instead.

A.M.

Floss those pearly whites
Brushing alone can miss up to 30 percent of the surface of your teeth--a lot like taking a shower but washing only 70 percent of your body.

Swish and spit
Our experts recommend using a mouthwash that's been proven to prevent and reduce gingivitis, which affects half of all U.S. adults.

Wake up and fill up
Even we are tired of saying "breakfast is the most important meal of the day." But research shows that morning noshers tend to eat less fat and cholesterol and more fiber throughout the day and have healthier body weights.

Do a shot of SPF
As in, one full ounce slathered over your bod. To guard against both UVA and UVB rays, choose a sunscreen with zinc (or zinc oxide) or titanium (or titanium dioxide).

Strike a pose
Practicing yoga fights extra poundage by supporting endocrine and thyroid function as well as by lowering cortisol, a stress hormone that promotes weight gain around your middle. Yogis say back bends (try cobra pose) can even boost your energy if you're dragging in the morning. Check out our yoga channel for photos and descriptions of poses.

P.M.

Brush, floss, and rinse with mouthwash Yes, again. On nights when you'd rather just collapse into bed, chew on this: According to an article in the The Journal of the American Dental Association, your mouth harbors 400 to 800 species of bacteria--and they're making a beeline for your tooth enamel.

Turn off the TV and close your laptop an hour before bed. The glowing screens emit a blue light that keeps you up by suppressing melatonin, a hormone that regulates your body clock.

Crank Corinne Bailey Rae, take a warm bath, or slurp a cup of herbal tea: Calming pre-bed rituals like these can help you decompress both mentally and physically. Do them every night and they'll start to cue your brain that it's snooze time, making you nod off faster.

Set your coffeemaker Java is the No. 1 source of cancer-fighting antioxidants in our diets, and studies show that a good brew can help you perform better on tests that measure concentration, memory, and learning and even help protect against ovarian cancer. Limit yourself to two or three cups a day--or decaf--to avoid jitters and late nights staring at the ceiling.

Don't Leave Home Without 'Em...

Health insurance card
Get insured now, before a problem shows up that will be considered pre-existing if you shop for coverage later. Learn more about your options online from the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (ahrq.gov/consumer/insuranceqa) or the Foundation for Health Coverage Education (coverageforall.org).

Personal medical record
After tumbling head-first over your niece's Big Wheel, the list of prescription drugs you're taking won't exactly roll off your tongue--especially if you're, um, unconscious. Line your wallet with a list of your meds (including supplements), allergies or drug sensitivities, the name and number of your primary-care doctor, conditions you're being treated for, and a brief family history of major medical problems.

Don't just think you can do it… now you can!

You'll increase your self-­esteem if your "can do" attitude is based on real skills. Learn how to unclog the toilet, file your taxes, or hang those Ikea shelves. One great DIY book: Dare to Repair: A Do-It-Herself Guide to Fixing (Almost) Anything in the Home, by Julie Sussman and Stephanie Glakas Tenet ($8, amazon.com).

A recent report shows that rates of gonorrhea (which can cause pelvic inflammatory disease) and chlamydia (which can damage fertility) are up--and that means use of protection is sorely down.

Stay Happy Without Prozac

Log on to volunteermatch.com. Volunteering has been linked to lower rates of heart disease, stress, and depression--in fact, one study shows that just thinking about doing something altruistic releases the glee-inducing chemicals serotonin and dopamine.

Distract yourself from yourself Therapists say depression-prone women tend to mull over problems endlessly. Kick the OCD habit by engaging other parts of your brain: Listen to music, go running with a friend, or try a new zucchini bread recipe.

Get help if you need to
It's OK if you can't deal on your own--and more normal than you might think. In any given year, as many as 14 million adults experience clinical depression, yet only one in three seek treatment.

Imagine you're lying on a beach. In Costa Rica. Having your feet massaged by Eric Bana. Feeling better yet? Research shows you can zap stress, lower your BP and heart rate, and increase your circulation and digestion with as little as 90 seconds of visual imagery.

Stop…stepping out in four-inch stilettos.

Stripper heels strain the joints from your toes all the way up to your lower back and can lead to nasty deformities like bunions and hammertoes. Stick with a height of two inches or less.

Save the World and yourself

Go organic
Food grown without pesticides or herbicides contains more nutrients. Wallet too thin to stock your whole kitchen with organic items? Choose animal foods, like eggs, dairy, or meat. They contain more fat, which is where toxins are stored; because animal foods are higher in fat than fruits and vegetables, they're also higher in toxins.

Work out before work
Early workouts are easier to squeeze into your hectic schedule, and they save you the need to shower twice. That saves up to 72 gallons of water each year. And the good news continues: Studies also show that AM exercisers are more likely to stick with the program than those who hit the gym later in the day.

Unplug
Researchers from the University of Minnesota found that people who spent five or more hours of free time each day working on the computer, watching TV, or playing video games exercised 11 fewer minutes a day than people who didn't. Pulling the plug may help you downsize not only your ass but your carbon footprint too: 25 to 40 percent of all electricity used to power home electronics is consumed while the products are plugged in but switched off.

Fill your glass from a Brita
Bottled water convenience comes at a high price: An estimated 9 out of 10 plastic bottles wind up in landfills or litter streets and parks. A home filter can get rid of a variety of nasties, including lead, mercury, and asbestos, that may be lurking in your water supply.

Score now, reap later - A sports helmet

Whether you board or bike, look for a melon protector that conforms to the standards of the American Society for Testing and Materials. A good helmet will fit snugly (no wobbling when you push it side to side) and sit level on your head (not tilted back) with the front edge no more than an inch above your eyebrows.

Be a gym-class heroine

Mash up your workouts
Logging 20 minutes on the elliptical, then 20 minutes in the weight room, then 10 minutes on a yoga mat may sound like a kick-ass workout, but it doesn't mimic how we use our bodies in the real world. (Shoving that heavy box of winter boots into the upper reaches of your closet, for example, requires you to use balance, flexibility, and strength…at the same time). So make your workouts like your favorite DJ Shadow CD and mix them up: Try a short burst of cardio exercise, then jump right into a quick power strength move, immediately followed by a flexibility drill. Repeat. You'll see results sooner.

Add intervals to your cardio
Interval training (alternating short bursts of high-intensity activity with lower-intensity activity) has been proven to fry body fat and boost cardiovascular fitness more quickly than working out at a constant, moderate pace. Try a 30-second sprint for every five minutes of treadmill time, or in the pool, one lap of speed after a few laps of slower strokes.

Reach for it
If you spend your days stuck in Cubeville (Population: You), you're losing mobility, and that sets you up for muscle strains and tears when you finally get out from behind the desk. Your hamstrings, calves, and pectoral (chest) muscles tend to be the most drum-tight. Abide by the wisdom of the American College of Sports Medicine and stretch them out two to three days a week. Aim for four 10- to 30-second reps per muscle group.

Sidestep knee injuries
Studies show that women are more likely than men to be weak in the knees. Your joint-saving solution: hips of steel. The stronger you make the muscles around your hips, the better you can control your femur (the thigh bone), which helps stabilize your knee. One easy hip-strengthening move: Tie a resistance band around your ankles, squat slightly and step side to side with as wide a stride as you can manage.

This Won't Hurt a Bit

Your flu shot
Each year, up to 20 percent of Americans contract a nasty flu bug, and more than 200,000 are hospitalized. Find a flu clinic near you at lungusa.org.

Your HPV shot
This vaccine is highly effective against four virus strains, including two that cause about 70 percent of cervical cancers. Though it's approved for use by females ages 9 to 26, only 10 percent of women ages 18 to 26 received it.

Your 273 other shots
The benefits of the needles you got stuck with as a kid don't all last a lifetime. Ask your doc whether you need boosters for tetanus, diphtheria, and pertussis (Tdap); measles, mumps, and rubella (MMR); chicken pox; pneumococcal diseases (including pneumonia); hepatitis A and B; and meningococcal meningitis.

Don't be a dummy - Buckle up.
Motor vehicle accidents are the leading cause of death in people ages 2 through 34. It's estimated that from 1975 to 2006, seat belts saved 226,567 lives, yet according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, 18 percent of people don't wear one.

Stop…with the fad, fast, and cleansing diets.
Beyond wreaking havoc on your metabolism, they make your hair do really bad things. That's because your mane is one of the body's fastest-­growing tissues, but since it's also nonessential (unlike, say, brain cells), your locks are the first to go if your body lacks nutrients. And once your body is done shedding its more expendable parts, it's not long before the rest of you is in deep doo, too.

Go Ahead--Swallow

A multivitamin
While national surveys show that up to 80 percent of Americans think they eat well, only 1 percent actually meet minimum standards for a balanced diet. Choose a multi that contains at least 100 percent of the daily value of vitamins A, C, and E and folic acid.

Vitamin D
Studies show that popping 1,000 IU each day cuts your risk of breast and ovarian cancers in half.

Fish oil
Your breath may smell like the seafood counter at Kroger for a while, but these gill pills work wonders on the body--inside and out. Fish oil not only keeps your skin and hair healthy but also reduces the risk of heart disease and helps squelch inflammation. Experts suggest one gram per day.

Add 24 Years to Your Life*

Stay on top of health screenings
Not sure what you need to have done or how often? Check our handy screenings chart at womenshealthmag.com/screenings. + 4 years

Take your meds
According to a 2006 survey, nearly 75 percent of Americans don't take their prescription medications as directed. If you have a question about how to pop your pills (Is that four times a day only while I'm awake, or literally every six hours?), your pharmacist can set you straight. Or, if downing three pills three times a day is too much for you to keep track of, tell your doc--he may be able to prescribe a drug that doesn't need to be taken as often. + 12 years

Do a home-safety check
Each year, more than 38,000 women die as a result of accidents. Make sure you have working smoke and carbon monoxide detectors and a fire extinguisher at home, for starters. + 2 years

Geek out, even after graduation
A study from Rush University Medical Center in Chicago found that people who spend time doing brain-stimulating activities (going to museums, solving puzzles, listening to music) have less than half the risk of developing Alzheimer's as those who don't. + 4 years

Adopt an adorable fur ball
Petting or even just being near a lil' critter has been shown to lower your BP and heart rate. And a 2002 study found that heart-attack sufferers who were also dog owners were six times as likely to be alive a year later as those who didn't have four-legged company. + 2 years

*From The Long Life Equation (January 2008, Adams Media)

Honey, You Need a Better Bra
Straps that are too thin or too tight can put pressure on the trapezius muscle (which spans your shoulders, neck, and upper back), causing pain in your upper body and even tension headaches. Quit squeezing your girls into an ill-fitting Maidenform today and save on Advil tomorrow.

Get your hot little hands on…A good birth control method

Been taking the Pill or using condoms since college out of habit? Your BC may no longer be right for you. If you've started bumming cigarettes during happy hour, for example, you shouldn't pop OCs, which can increase the risk of blood clots, hypertension, and heart disease. Talk to your gyn every year about whether your current contraceptive is still your best.

Stop…sporting talons instead of nails.
The No. 1 place germs live on your body is beneath your fingernails. If you can't trim the habit, dig your claws into a bar of semi-soft soap twice a day.

Score now, reap later - A showerhead filter

Screw one on to block chlorine, which can kill helpful bacteria on your skin, zap moisture, and worsen conditions like eczema and psoriasis. A filter can even deep-six chemicals that lead to dull hair and split ends. Check out showerfilterstore.com for products.

Toss salads with Romaine, not iceberg. It may not provide the same satisfying crunch, but the darker leafy green has twice the fiber, B vitamins, folic acid, calcium, and potassium and seven times the vitamins A and C of iceberg.

Sip a skim latte, not black coffee Studies show that caffeine may contribute to osteoporosis by increasing calcium loss. But you can sidestep this risk by adding milk to your brew: Even two tablespoons will offset the negative effects on calcium. Sneaky, eh?

Drink coffee, tea, and red wine between meals, not during them These beverages all contain tannins, which compromise your body's ability to absorb iron from food.

Use regular, not antibacterial, soap It KOs just as many germs, and some scientists argue that using too many antibacterial cleansers may tamper with the effectiveness of some antibiotics.

We Nag Because We Care!

Put down the cancer sticks, already
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention estimates that women smokers puff an average of 14.5 years of their lives away. You'll get the best results if you work with an M.D. who specializes in smoking cessation. Let stopsmokingdoctors.com point the way.

Sweat like your life depends on it
Oh wait, it does. Exercising 30 minutes every day will lower your risk of heart disease, the No. 1 killer of women, by as much as 80 percent.

Stay hydrated
The clear stuff is essential for muscle and kidney function. But forget the eight-glass rule. You'll do well by guzzling eight ounces of water at each meal, plus before (12 ounces), during (16 ounces), and after (another 16 ounces) your workouts.

Eat produce at every meal
A new report from the CDC suggests that fewer than a third of Americans are getting their RDA of fruits and vegetables. If your bok choy always turns brown before you can eat it, try buying canned, frozen, or dried produce--or even 100 percent juice.

Go horizontal
Sleep deprivation (getting less than seven to eight hours a night) leads to increased levels of ghrelin, the hormone that makes you crave waistline-­thickening, artery-clogging comfort foods.

Wash your grubby hands
Soap and water are your best defense against colds, flu, and other infectious diseases. But a 2006 international survey found that two-thirds of American adults admit to not washing their hands properly (the only country that was more lax: Germany). Do America proud: Scrub up more often.

Zip. It. Uuuhhp.
Your old prom gown. Try it on: If the zipper on that Versace knockoff you nabbed at the mall won't budge past your ribs, you could be at an increased risk for breast cancer. A recent American Cancer Society study found that women who had gained 21 to 30 pounds after age 18 were 40 percent more likely to develop the disease than those who didn't put on more than five pounds. Women who had gained 70 pounds doubled their risk.

Stick junior in a babybjorn
When you use your hip as a baby hanger, structures in your back are compressed and joints, muscles, and discs become strained. Instead, distribute the little tyke's weight evenly across your spine by holding him in front, close to your body--or try strapping him into a sling.

Get your hot little hands on…A good 'tude
People whose tumbler is always half full tend to live longer and have fewer life-threatening diseases. Debbie Downers also get sick and visit the doctor's office more frequently than their optimistic counterparts. Wah-wah…

Score now, reap later
Stability ball. It forces you to sit upright instead of slumping. Plus, you're constantly using your core to make tiny balance adjustments: it's like an all-day ab workout.

Discover a workout you dig
You know, the one you look forward to not because you can time it with Entertainment Tonight, but because it's actually fun. University of Michigan research shows that women who exercise because it makes them feel happier or more energized are more likely to keep it up than women who work out just to look better.

Find a better way to chill out
Haagen Dazs and tequila shots are not the best answers to a stressful Monday. If you try to eat and drink your way through every panicky moment, you'll just end up more stressed and overweight. And we bet that will only bum you out more.

Two makeup moves that are hard on the eyes:
1. Mixing glittery eye shadow and contact lenses. The product that makes eye makeup sparkle is called silica. This can get trapped under your contact lens and cause a painful scratch.
2. Adding tap water or saliva to "stretch" mascara. Water and spit can introduce bacteria to your sensitive peepers, plus dilute the formula's microbe-squelching preservatives. Last time we checked, gnarly eye infections weren't in this season.

Order a side of "om" for lunch
Studies show that meditation decreases the negative impact of stress on your body, contributes to a sense of emotional wellbeing, and enhances the ability to focus and concentrate. Try to build up to 20 minutes a day.

Make him unload the dishwasher
Princeton University research shows that men today spend more time than women doing enjoyable activities. No surprise, then, that new data also shows that men are happier than women for the first time since the 1970s. Hmph.

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